Volatile
by Lady Persephone
Summary: Blood continued to trickle between fingers and slowly, oh so slowly, slide down my arm. His eyes followed the small ribbon of red until it disappeared into my sleeve. What was it about his gaze that told me he was so dangerous, so volatile? EB set in 1350


Disclaimer: I own nothing

Volatile

Chapter One: 'Toad'

"Insolent little beast," She hissed, stalking closer to me. I felt her hatred radiate towards me in thick, overwhelming waves. From afar, I may have looked untouchable. My chin thrust into the air proudly as I looked on calmly as my wicked lady circled me like a starving predator. However, if you looked closer, my trembling hands and quivering lower lip betrayed my illusion of self-confidence. "Of all the incompetent imbeciles I have been forced to govern, you are by far the most incorrigible." She raised her hand quickly and brought it down across my face. The impact sent me sprawling only the cold, unforgiving stone floor. I raised my hand gingerly to the wound and winced. Her rings had carved two unsightly gashes into the side of my face. The blood flowed teasingly through my fingers. Involuntarily, I whimpered as she approached me again.

The echo of swift footsteps drew both of our attentions to the corridor. Before I had a chance to identify the newcomer, My Lady had run to him in a flurry of wine stained skirts. "My Prince," She murmured throatily, bowing low and gazing up at the stranger through her eyelashes. Angela called those bedroom eyes.

"Lady Lauren," he greeted curtly, taking one of her hands and delicately brushing his lips across her knuckles. She giggled and blushed prettily, a completely different woman from the one that had hunted me mercilessly moments before.

I studied the Prince curiously. It was the first time I had seen him for myself and my cheeks grew warm as I realized that the rumors were true. He was devastatingly handsome.

Coal black eyes swiveled to meet mine and I felt my heart stop. Staring into his eyes I saw nothing but hate, pure, unadulterated hatred. His flawless features were set in a hard glare and I felt my pulse quicken. My palms were suddenly slick with sweat. Blood continued to trickle between fingers and slowly, oh so slowly, slide down my arm. His eyes followed the small ribbon of red until it disappeared into my sleeve. I gulped nervously.

"You insignificant little toad, show the Prince the respect he deserves and get down on your knees!" Lady Lauren whispered harshly and then turned to flash the prince a charming smile. Scrambling to my knees, I smeared my bloodied hand on my tattered robe and touched my forehead to my hands.

"My deepest apologies, Your Highness." I croaked. My throat was abruptly devoid of all moisture, as if it was all suddenly swallowed by his glare.

"Do not speak to him!" Lauren screeched shrilly, horrified at my breach in manners. Her voice echoed off the corridor walls and then everything was still.

"My Lady, let us take a walk," he drawled lazily, taking her arm politely, his narrowed eyes and clenched jaw eyes belied the tension churning beneath his hateful stare. I waited until their footsteps had faded before I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My heart slowed and I found myself thankful to be alive.

But why? What was it about his gaze that told me he was so dangerous, so volatile? I could not answer the dozens of questions that swam frantically inside my head. I did know one thing, however, I was lucky to be alive.

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Angela was humming pleasantly to herself when I entered the kitchens. "Bella!" She greeted me warmly with a hug a kiss on the cheek. "Good lord, Bella! What happened to your face?" I shrugged her concern away and went to wet a rag in the dish basin. She would not have my dismissal. "Lady Lauren again?" I winced and she knew that she had guessed correctly. She sighed like an exasperated mother and took the rag from me, delicately dapping my wounds. She raised an eyebrow expectantly and waited for me to elaborate.

I sighed, defeated, and reluctantly divulged the details of my latest encounter with the unscrupulous noble. "Well I was on my way to serve a group of visiting princes or lords or whatever they call themselves, and I didn't see the Lady around the corner. You know how I can be, don't you Angela? Well, I tripped and sent a tray of red wine flying on her new imported white silk gown." Angela stifled a giggle but quickly composed her face. "Needless to say she was livid."

"You need to be more careful, Bella," She chided lightly, knowing full well that her warnings were futile. My eternal clumsiness was unavoidable.

I hesitated. "I met Prince Edward." Angela nearly dropped the rag. She looked at me excitedly. I could practically see the questions running through her head. What had our meeting been like? Did I think he was as handsome as he was rumored to be? Was he kind?

Frankly, I didn't feel like answering any of those questions. However, Angela glanced around hurriedly and leaned closer to me. "What I'm about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone under any circumstances," she warned solemnly. I nodded slowly, perplexed but curious. "I heard something this morning from one of the chamber maids. You will think me absolutely mad," she worried, looking towards the ground.

I searched her eyes, silently prompting her to continue. She continued, albeit hesitantly, "Marie, the Prince's chambermaid told me that his Highness and the rest of the royal family are creatures of legend." I furrowed my brow. "She said they are vampires."

I stared at her incredulously. "You don't believe me." She stated flatly.

"Ang, it isn't that I don't believe you, per say. But that sort of accusation...is preposterous! I don't believe Marie. I trust you, however, with my life."

She seemed appeased by my answer and smiled softly. "It is a rather lofty tale isn't it?"

I didn't answer but took the rag from her and rinsed it in bowl of fresh well water. "Thank you Angela, but you should probably get back to work before Jessica finds you." Angela scowled at the mention of the antagonizing harpy that directed the slaves of the estate.

"Before Jessica finds you slacking off? Before she finds you lollygagging about?" Jessica sneered from the doorway, arms crossed and a satisfied smirk playing on her thin lips. Busted. "You worthless waste of space, get back to work before I send you to the flogger!" Angela scurried around the kitchen like a chicken with her head cut off. Jessica was not known to be merciful in her punishments. "And you," she addressed me, "Aren't you supposed to be in the gardens today?"

I bowed my head submissively, frowning grimly as i suppressed the urge to reach out and throttle that horrible woman.

"Well get out of here you nasty little toad!" I hurried away, skirts bunched tightly in my fists as I ran to the gardens. Why was everyone calling me a toad today anyway?

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Late autumn wind whipped around me, tossing my hair into tangled knots and throwing my skirts around me. Frost clung like a virus to the stiff, lifeless stems of a once thriving rose bush. The garden was a graveyard, a battlefield that had seen the bright, flourishing greenery fight valiantly to repel the winter winds and frost. In the end, they had been swallowed by the greedy mouth of winter and reduced to icy stems, ghosts of what used to be. I shivered violently as the cold climbed from my toes to the tips of my ears.

Gathering my skirts around me protectively, I set to work cleaning up the stray brush that had been thrown into the walkway but violent winds. It was slow, tedious work and I was alone.

"My, my it is cold out here, isn't it?" A deep, smooth voice observed from behind me. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and my breath was immediately swept from my lungs as I froze. I was drowning, a feeling that I recognized with sinking dread. Weight pressed on my eardrums as I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper until the only sound I heard was the rapid pulsing of my heart. Slowly, I turned around.

With a startled cry I fell to my knees before the Prince, standing patiently behind me with an air of calculated elegance. Neither of us spoke, neither of us moved for what seemed like an eternity. His gaze weighed down on me like a thousand pounds, unrelenting and merciless.

Then the silence was broken.

Thank you so much for reading. Next chapter will be up soon, however, reviews motivate me to write faster :) So please REVIEW!


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